64TH UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: HIGH-LEVEL ATTENDANCE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 068590 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL OTRA OVIP KSEPCVIS UNGA SUBJECT: 64TH UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY: HIGH-LEVEL ATTENDANCE AND REQUESTS FOR MEETINGS ¶1. (SBU) This is an action request - see paragraphs 5-7. Background -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The 64th UN General Assembly (UNGA) will run from September 15 through mid-December 2009. The UNGA General Debate, when Heads of State/Government, Foreign Ministers, and/or heads of delegation deliver speeches, will begin on September 23 and run through September 30. There will be a High-Level meeting on climate change September 22. Septel will contain an action request concerning U.S. initiatives and priorities for the 64th UNGA. ¶3. (SBU) No commitments regarding the President's or the Secretary's participation in the 64th UNGA have been made. Announcements regarding the President's and/or Secretary's participation are unlikely to be made until much closer to the start of UNGA. Traditionally, the President delivers the U.S. address on the opening day of the General Debate. Similarly, in the past, the Secretary has accompanied the President to New York and remained for additional days of meetings on the margins of the UNGA. Nonetheless, posts should refrain from speculating on the participation of the President or the Secretary at UNGA. The White House has announced that the President will host a G20 Leaders Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 24 and 25. ¶4. (U) Many foreign leaders are expected to attend at least part of the UNGA General Debate. Many will seek appointments with senior USG officials during this period. Any request from a host government for a meeting with the President or Secretary should be acknowledged without commitment and cabled to the Department. Post should encourage host country delegations to apply for visas as early as possible to ensure sufficient processing time prior to attendance. Action Request -------------- ¶5. (U) Posts in UN member countries are requested to submit initial information by August 1 on the attendance of host country government officials at the 64th UNGA General Debate. If a host country is unable to confirm high-level attendance by August 1, posts should submit an interim report and provide updated information as soon as it is available. Updated information should be submitted separately, not as part of a telegram that addresses other subjects. ¶6. (U) Owing to the large number of visitors, we ask posts' assistance in following precisely the format in paragraph 8 and providing timely replies. Both will be essential in facilitating logistics and protocol support and for scheduling meetings. ¶7. (U) Please address all replies to the Department and USUN New York. Slug original updates for IO/UNP (Sun), USUN (Dugan),and NSC (Brown). Please also address replies to the appropriate regional bureau UNGA coordinator: AF/RSA (Mazel),EAP/RSP (Vorderstrasse), EUR/PGI (Eldridge),NEA/RA (Cloud/Vaccaro),SCA/RA (Mazzone),or WHA/PPC (Ben-Yehuda). ¶8. (U) Post should encourage host country delegations to apply for visas as early as possible to ensure sufficient processing time prior to attendance. Standard Response Format -------------- ¶9. (U) Posts are requested to provide responses in the following format: ¶A. Attendance of the Head of State (If no plans to attend UNGA, so state.) -- Name and title. -- Arrival and departure dates to and from New York and other U.S. locations, and whether the Head of State will be present for the General Debate. STATE 00068590 002 OF 002 -- Whether spouse of the Head of State (if any) will travel to New York. If so, please provide the spouse's name. -- Whether interpretation would be required in a bilateral or multilateral meeting. If so, please specify what language. ¶B. Attendance of the Head of Government. (If no plans to attend UNGA, so state.) -- Name and title. -- Arrival and departure dates to and from New York and other U.S. locations, and whether the head of government will be present for the General Debate. -- Whether the spouse of the Head of Government (if any) will travel to New York. If so, please provide the spouse's name. -- Whether interpretation would be required in a bilateral or multilateral meeting. If so, please specify what language. ¶C. Attendance of the Foreign Minister. (If no plans to attend UNGA, so state.) -- Name and title. -- Arrival and departure dates to and from New York and other U.S. locations, and whether the Foreign Minister will be present for the General Debate. -- Whether the spouse of the Foreign Minister (if any) will travel to New York. If so, please provide the spouse's name. -- Whether interpretation would be required in bilateral or multilateral meetings. If so, please specify what language. ¶D. Attendance of other VIP's. (If no plans to attend UNGA, so state.) -- Name and title. -- Arrival and departure dates to and from New York and whether the VIP will be present for the General Debate. -- Whether the spouse of the VIP (if any) will travel to New York. If so, please provide the spouse's name. -- Whether interpretation would be required in bilateral or multilateral meetings. If so, please specify what language. ¶E. Attendance of the Foreign Ministry official responsible for IO affairs. (If no plans to attend UNGA, so state.) -- Name and title. -- Arrival and departure dates in New York. -- Whether the spouse of the Foreign Ministry official (if any) will travel to New York. If so, please provide the spouse's name. -- Whether interpretation would be required in bilateral or multilateral meetings. If so, please specify what language. End Standard Format. ¶10. (U) Minimize considered. CLINTON